E-commerce in ASEAN : macroeconomic impact, missed opportunities and potential gains

• Main Author: Pang, Magnus Khin Yang
• Other Authors: Kaewkamol Pitakdumrongkit
• Format: Theses and Dissertations
• Language: English
• Published: 2018
• Subjects: DRNTU::Social sciences::Political science
• Online Access: http://hdl.handle.net/10356/73304
• Institution: Nanyang Technological University

In recent years, the potential of e-commerce to drive economic growth has garnered much attention. In light of such trends, this paper uses two studies to assess the state of e-commerce in Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), and e-commerce's acroeconomic impact on the region. The paper begins with a review of the literature pertaining to the economic benefits that e-commerce use ngenders. Following this, the first study examines the state of e-commerce in Indonesia, Vietnam and Philippines, three ASEAN countries with high e-commerce potential. The paper then augments the analysis from the first study through a Computable General Equilibrium model in the second study. Overall, findings show that e-commerce in ASEAN is underdeveloped, although empirical evidence suggests that ecommerce use engenders positive' macroeconomic outcomes. The paper then provides both political and economic explanations to explain the lackluster progress in e-commerce development, and suggests some policy actions to mediate this problem. Overall, this exploratory research may provide valuable insights for regional stakeholders looking to yield economic benefits by leveraging on ASEAN's e-commerce sector.